


Cassandra

by spikesgirl58



Series: ABBA/Foothills [72]
Category: Man from Uncle - Fandom
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-05-10
Updated: 2013-05-10
Packaged: 2017-12-10 23:58:04
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,053
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/791662
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/spikesgirl58/pseuds/spikesgirl58
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>A new Foothills adventure!  Napoleon and Illya are introduced to a new sport - Aerostating!  Written for Tamingthemuse Prompt 355 - Dust you are and to dust you will return</p>
            </blockquote>





	Cassandra

Illya undid the rest of the buttons to his chef’s coat and peeled it off.  For just a moment, he stood in the back of the kitchen and luxuriated in the sudden rush of air against his sweat-damp skin.  Then he tugged on a clean coat and buttoned it up.

This was his favorite part of a Sunday evening.  He was through cooking and had a moment to go out and walk through his restaurant.  Most of his patrons were through dining and now lingered over coffee or perhaps a shared dessert.   Now Illya had the opportunity to leave the kitchen and perhaps chat with a regular or enjoy a glass of ice cold chardonnay and the look of happy diners.

Then, he would slip out and head next door to the house he shared with his mate.   Together, they would slip into bed and possibly make love or just talk.  He’d wake in the morning with the knowledge that the next few days were his.   He didn’t mind working hard, but Illya was discovering that more and more he anticipated this time to recharge his batteries.

He left the kitchen and was immediately stunned by how cool the dining room was in comparison.  He knew they didn’t overly air condition the dining room.  It was only the heat of the kitchen that made the area seem almost frigid.  It was a nice change. 

Illya scanned the room and immediately spotted Napoleon sitting and chatting with a couple. He knew these people, at least in passing.  They had come in the first week Taste opened and had been back nearly every week since.  The only times they weren’t there was when they traveled.  And there was always a burst of excitement when the word came back to the kitchen that the Rossmens had returned.

Illya walked up to them.  Napoleon saw him first and the man’s eyes lit up.  Illya never tired of seeing that gleam of love and he smiled, warmed by the thought.

He approached the table and held out a hand.  “Ida, Marvin, how are you both this evening?”

Marvin stood slightly and shook Illya’s hand and then Illya bent to give Ida a hug. She had a strength that belied her age.

“Ida, what do you do as a pastime?  Wrestle bears?”

“I asked her the same thing,” Napoleon said, laughing.

“Chef, your stuffed lamb chops were like butter,” Ida said, after she’d released him   “And I don’t think I’ve ever had Brussels sprouts that I’ve enjoyed as much as yours.  Grilled really brings out their sweet nutty flavor.”

“Once I discovered a way that Napoleon liked them, I knew it would be a success over here.”

“You don’t like Brussels sprouts, Napoleon?”  Ida seemed aghast at the thought.

“Well, not until Illya made them for me.  Now they are palatable.”

“And we will leave it at that,” Illya said, with a soft chuckle.  The restaurant was nearly empty now, just a few people lingering at the bar.  Another twenty minutes and they, too, would be gone.

“Ida and Marvin were just telling me of their latest adventure.  Did you know they were aeronauts?”

“Really?”  Illya cocked his head to the side.  “I don’t know that I’ve ever met any.  When did you start flying balloons?”

“You know the term?”  Marvin laughed.  “You never cease to amaze me, Chef.”

“Illya is what we classify as a smart Russian.  He knows too much stuff.  Never get into a game of Trivial Pursuit with him!”

“Have you ever flown?” 

“Only once and the situation was not prime.”  Illya remembered the sensation of dangling from that balloon basket, but the details were foggy.

“We would like to invite you and Napoleon to go flying with us,” Ida said quickly as if she was afraid she would lose the opportunity.

“Sadly, I am rather tied to the restaurant.”

“We have our own balloon.  If the weather is right, we can fly at any time.”  Marvin sat forward and patted Illya’s hand.  “Mind you, we wouldn’t mind a few strong backs to help with the crewing.  It’s getting to be a bit much for us.  Perhaps there are others here who would like the adventure?”

“What does it entail?”

“You merely need to show up.  Oh, and bring along some chilled champagne, if you please.”

                                                                                ****

Illya yawned and let his head flop back against the seat rest.  “The last time I was up this early, I hadn’t been to bed yet.”

Napoleon grinned and slapped Illya on the thigh, then gave it a squeeze.  “It will do you good to see the sunrise for a change, my dweller of the night.”  Illya cracked open an eye to glare.  “I’m serious, Illya.  You slept thirteen hours yesterday, you can’t still be tired.”  Napoleon nodded to Illya’s cup of coffee   “Have more coffee.”

“Can’t.”

“Why not?”

“It’s all gone.”

“Then drink mine.  I don’t need anything to wake me up.”

“I never knew you were so interested in ballooning.”

“I’m not, per se, but it’s exciting to have a new adventure at this time in our lives, don’t you think?”

“I have adventure every day.  It’s called, _Living with Napoleon_.”

“Funny guy.”  Napoleon slowed the truck and took a right.  “So, according to the directions, we are to drive to the end of this road and park.”

“Then what?”

“We wait.”  Behind them, a set of headlights appeared.  “We have company.”

Illya sat up to look in the side view mirror.  “It’s Rocky and Matt and it looks like there’s someone else with them.”

“Excellent.  More hands mean lighter work.”  Napoleon carefully gave the vehicle some gas.  It bounced and rocked. 

“What work?  It’s a hot air balloon.”   A dip slammed Illya against the door.  “I’m glad we didn’t take your car.”

“You are right about that.”  The road smoothed out and ended in a grassy meadow.  The sun was peeking over the hills and Napoleon smiled.  “Incredible, isn’t it?”

Illya merely yawned.  Napoleon parked, leaving the keys in the ignition.  He climbed out, shivering in the coolness of the morning air.  It would warm up fast once the sun was completely up.  Rocky’s truck pulled up beside them and stopped.

A moment later, Matt jumped from the vehicle, followed by Celeste and Stella. 

“Wow, this is so beautiful.”  Celeste laughed and twirled about, her braids dancing with the movement. 

“Goofball, you are going to make yourself sick.”  Stella caught her and they tumbled down onto the grass.

“How can you be so awake?” Illya grumbled, draining the rest of Napoleon’s cup.

“Easy, haven’t gone to bed yet.”  Celeste hopped and ran to his side, hugging him.  “Thank you so much for asking us to come.  I have never been in a balloon.”

“You might not yet, unless Rocky has it in the back of his truck.”  Napoleon looked around.  “We seem to be the only ones here.”  There was the sound of another vehicle approaching.  “Ah, that’s more like it.”

 Napoleon’s momentary glee, however, was short lived at the sight of Rand, Henry, and Roxanne.

“We the only ones here?”  Rand unfolded himself from the small bench seat of Henry’s pick up.

“So far.”

Another five minutes passed and there was the low rumbling of a vehicle.  Illya squinted into the morning, but couldn’t see anything.  “I don’t…”  Then a chocolate brown van rumbled into view.  “Who do we know with a van?”

It parked and Ida climbed out.  “Here we are!  Did you think we were standing you up?”

“Well, it did cross my mind,” Illya admitted, stifling a yawn.

“Waiting for the chocolate bar is an ancient tradition,” a stranger muttered as she climbed from the van.   She was wearing a shirt _I’m up, I’m dressed, what more do you want from me?_ embossed across the front of it.  _“_ Hi, I’m Cathy, the daughter of these maniacs, although I prefer the name, keeper.”

Napoleon offered his hand.  “I’m Napoleon.”

“Really?”  She took the hand and shook it firmly.  “School must have been hell.”

“You have no idea.”  Napoleon glanced around.  “You called the van a chocolate bar?”

“Nope.”  She patted the vehicle fondly.  “THE Chocolate Bar because it’s brown and it’s a better name than the Big Sh--”

Napoleon interrupted, “So, where is the balloon?”

“In the van.”  Marvin popped open the back of the van.  There was not an inch of space to spare.  “I could do with some help over here.”

Illya took a step, but Rand waved him off.  “Got it, Chef.”

“Okay, we are going to just slide the end of it out.”

The man talked as they worked the large wicker basket out of the back of the van and onto the ground.  “We have the perfect day for flying.   Okay, over on its side now, my boy. “

“You say that every day, Dad.”  Cathy suddenly appeared in the empty spot left by the basket’s removal.  “Will someone give me a hand with the tanks?  Put them over there, please.”

Illya turned to carry one of the propane tanks to the designated spot and when he turned back, there was a long pile of colorful material stretched out on the grass.  “That’s the balloon.”

“That’s the envelope,” Ida corrected as she helped Rocky right the basket.  Cathy was immediately there to tie off the basket to the van’s trailer hitch.  “Together with the basket, it’s a balloon.  Cathy, are you inside?”

“Yup.”  She hoisted herself over the edge of the basket.  “Illya, would you hand me the tank with the blue sleeve?”

“Sure.  Why the color coding?”

“It’s the pilot tank.  It’s the one we use to inflate the envelope.  That way we don’t cut our selves short on fuel during the ride.”

Napoleon watched as Illya instantly became involved with the mechanics of the basket. 

“Napoleon, I could use your help and the rest of you.”  Ida waved to him and he trotted to her, quickly followed by the other members with the exception of Illya and Rand. 

“Napoleon Solo, reporting for duty.”  He saluted smartly.  “What are we doing?”

“We are going to spread out the envelope so we can inflate it faster.”  Ida grabbed a black strip of ribbing.  “This is a load tape; please pull on it and not the fabric of the balloon.  Half of you grab one and start pulling.  The rest of you, to the other side.”

By the time the altimeter, radio and tanks had been secured in the basket, the envelope was spread out a one dimensional representation.

Napoleon brushed off his hands and looked around.  “Now what?”

“Now the fun.”  Marvin looked over the people.  “I need two tall guys.  Rocky and… “  He pointed to Rand .

“Rand,” the man said.

“Rand, I need you two to hold open the mouth of the envelope.  The rest of you, as the envelope is filling, pull the fabric out from underneath.  Cathy, if you will start Arnold.”

“Arnold?”  Illya glanced over at the large fan.

“Yup, he’s gonna pump you up.”  Cathy yanked the cord twice and the motor turned over.  She adjusted the position and immediately the envelope began to dance as it filled.  The sun crested over the trees and lit the fabric up. 

Matt paused to take some photos, then hurried to take his place beside Illya.

“Are you having fun, Mattie?” Illya shouted over the fan.

 _“Si, sí._ This is so incredible.”  Matt tossed a handful of material up in the air.  “Mama, she will not believe me!”

“Go take more photos.  Stella and I can handle this.”

“You are certain?”

“I am.  Go.  It will be a good record for the restaurant as well.  All those lazybones will see what they missed by opting out this morning.”

For a few minutes, it was all about the fabric in his hands.  Illya kept pulling and lifting, then heard a shout.  Ida was gesturing to him.

He passed by Napoleon and paused.  The wind from the fan had tossed Napoleon’s usually carefully coiffured hair into a salt and pepper mess.  His face was red from the cold, but there was a huge grin on his face.

“Having fun, my love?” Illya said into Napoleon’s ear and the man nodded enthusiastically.

“This is great!”

“Remember that tomorrow morning when you can’t move.”  Cathy said.  She pulled back the fan as Marvin climbed into the basket.

It was still on its side and Marvin hoisted up the burner unit and rested it on his knee.

“Illya!”  Cathy gestured to him and Illya ran up to her.

“What’s wrong?”

“When Dad starts to burn, I need you to come under the envelope with me and hold the fabric down.”

“I’m not sure I understand.”

“I think you will once you see what happens.  Go up about a yard from Napoleon and when you see the fabric start to cave in grab it and hold it down.”

Napoleon watched Illya pass by and cocked his head.  Illya shrugged his shoulders in response and positioned himself.

Sudden there was a roar and a flame shot up into the cavernous interior of the envelope.

Illya saw the fabric start to cave in and grabbed it, wincing from the heat of the flame not far from him.  His world narrowed to that fabric he wrestled and he concentrated upon keeping it away from the heat.

Suddenly he realized he was fighting a losing battle and he glanced to his right to see Cathy standing there.  She let go and he followed suit.  The envelope, fully inflated towered about them.

“Meet Cassandra,” Cathy said as the fan engine died out.  “She is our most recent balloon.”

“You have more?”

“Sure.  Balloons are like bunnies.  Leave them alone and they multiply.”

“Wish china did that,” Matt muttered.  “We could use a new set at the restaurant.”

“Okay, it’s time to get serious,” Marvin said, his voice oddly formal.  “I am putting on my captain’s hat now.  I need everyone to lean on the balloon and listen to me. ” He paused to burn and Napoleon turned his face from the heat.  If the weather holds, we will try and get everyone up, but I need to know who is going to fly first.”

“Chef and Napoleon,” Rocky said, without hesitation.

“Okay, that means the rest of you will be chase crew.  Ida will give you radios so you can talk to us and each other.  Test, test.  Do you copy, Chocolate Bar? ”

“Loud and clear, Cassandra,” Ida’s voice crackled back.

“Chef, you may want to give your keys to someone so your vehicle isn’t left here.”

“We aren’t coming back… of course, we aren’t.  You can’t exactly steer this thing, can you?”  Illya

Napoleon looked dubiously at the chest high basket.  “How do I get in?”

“Anyway you can.  The only thing you can’t grab is the red line.”

“Why’s that?”  Henry moved his hand further away from the red strap.

“It’s attached to the center of the parachute top and rips it out.  You use that to deflate the balloon.  The yellow line allows you to release hot air if you need to.”  He laughed.  “Someone give Napoleon a hand.”

It took a moment, but, with some help, Napoleon got into the small basket.  Between Marvin, the tanks and the radio, there was not much room and he was a bit unsure as to whether or not there was enough room for another person, but Marvin merely gestured.

“Chef, you’re next.”

Rocky and Matt reached for Illya and he slapped their hands away.  He grabbed the frame that held the burner and hefted himself in.

“Show off,” Napoleon grumbled as Illya settled comfortably beside him.

“Former gymnast.    Some things you don’t forget.”

“And now I’m putting on my stewardess hat,” Marvin announced.  “The rules, only I play with the instruments and the burner.  In the event of a high wind landing, I will give you a crash helmet and instruct you to get down into the basket.   It’s your job to do everything you can to stay in the basket.  Got it?”  Both men nodded solemnly and Marvin grinned.  “Then, sit back and enjoy the ride.  Weight on the basket, please!”  He turned the burner to full and cast off the tether line to the van.  The balloon rocked and fought.  “Hands off now!”

It seemed to take the balloon a moment to realize it was free, then it rose a few inches and then a few more, floating a few feet off the ground.

“This is incredible.” Napoleon watched their progress.  “There is no sensation of lift at all.”

“This is what gets new balloonists into trouble.  They over-burn  and go shooting up into the sky without any control.”

Below them, people were putting away the fan and other paraphernalia from the launch.  “What will they do now?”

“Now comes the fun.  They will try to keep up with us.  This isn’t the easiest of areas to chase in but we make due.  Ida will give each driver a radio and a tank of propane.  Whoever finds us first will swap out tanks with us.”

Napoleon reached down and found Illya’s hand, giving it a squeeze.  Illya tore his attention from the view to smile at his partner.  “This is incredible, Marvin.  Thank you.”

“Well, it’s all about sharing.  For years, your restaurant has given us memories, now it’s our turn.”

 

                                                                                ****

Napoleon hung out the window and gestured wildly with his hand.  “Your other right, Illya!”

“I can’t –“  The truck hit a gulley and rocked them hard.  “It looked much easier up there.”

“You got that right.”  A cloud of dust and dried grass billowed up in Napoleon’s face.  “Slow down, Illya, or you’ll kill us.”

“Hey, you know what they say.  Dust you are and to dust you will return.”

Napoleon spit out a mouthful of dust.  “Not today, thanks.   They are coming down… in that field.”  Napoleon pointed and Illya nodded grimly.

“Get in and hold on.”  Illya braced his arms, waited for Napoleon to slip back into the cab, and then hit the accelerator. 

They got to a flat spot and Illya brought the truck to a stop.  Napoleon piled out and headed for the balloon as it drifted down.

“Get ready to grab us,” Marvin shouted.

Rocky’s truck pulled up and the van followed.  Randy and Henry were last.  Immediately, people were out of the vehicles and racing towards the balloon.

It hit and went back up a few feet, came down again and bounced a few more feet.

“Weight on the basket!” Marvin shouted and people grabbed the balloon.  The envelope rocked, but the basket steadied.  “Is that everyone up?”

“It is, with the exception or Ida and Cathy.” Napoleon looked over at the mother and daughter.

“I’m good, sweetheart, and the wind is starting to come up.”  She took the crown line, a rope that was attached to the top of the envelope and handed it to Rand and Henry.  “When I give you the word, run.”

“I agree.  Let’s take her down.”  Marvin reached up and grabbed the red line, giving it a sharp yank. 

“Go, guys!”

Rand and Henry took off and yanked the balloon down, eighty thousand cubic feet of air fighting them all the way.

Now they went through the reverse, emptying out the basket and squeezing the air out of the envelope.  Napoleon made a face and shook his head slowly.  “I know I saw all of this,” he nodded to the envelope.  “Come out of that basket, but how do we get it back in?”

Cathy laughed. “This is when it’s great of have a large crew.  Everyone line up on the ride side of the envelope and grab an armful of fabric.  Place it on your left shoulder.”  Everyone did as they were asked.

“Now what?” Henry asked.

“We follow Dad’s lead.  Turn tight and don’t step on the fabric.”

Marvin carried the crown of the envelope to the basket and stuffed it into the sack that had been stretched over the basket’s mouth.  Each person, in turn, duplicated his action until there was a huge mound of fabric towering over all of them.

Marvin gestured everyone in closer.  “Everyone, lay your hands on the envelope and on my count, push down.  One, two three, ooga, booga!”

Within seconds, everyone was laughing and shouting, “Ooga booga!”  By the time they finished, the material was squashed into the sack and the sack was tied shut.

“Ida, are you ready?”

“I am.  Cathy, can you help?”  Marvin finished packing the basket.  “Napoleon, the champagne?”

Napoleon retrieved the cooler from the bed of the truck.  "Ah, it’s been both shaken and stirred, so be careful.”

“You have all taken part in a glorious sport of aerostation.  Cassandra is an aerostat and we are all aeronauts.  In 1783, Monsieur De Rozier was the first man to attempt flight.  He sent up a sheep, a duck and a rooster.  After they returned safely to earth, he tried it himself only to die later in an experimental hydrogen balloon in 1785.  That same year two brothers, the Montgolfiers, created a balloon and flew it under the banner of Louis the XIV.

Soon everyone was ballooning and this created a bit of trouble.  You see, the balloonists thought it was the smoke that gave the balloon its lift, so they would burn damp hay, manure, anything that would create dense black smoke.  There was one crewman whose only job was to keep a wet sponge on hand and throw it at any spots on the balloon that caught fire.

 In those days, most people didn’t venture very far from their home.  To suddenly have the smoke belching monster come roaring out of the skies made people think the were being invaded by Martians.”  Marvin worked the wrapper and wire off of a bottle of champagne.

“Martians?”  Stella poked Celeste I the ribs.   

“H.G. Wells published _War of the Worlds_ in 1898.” Ida explained, carrying out two wooden boxes.  Cathy followed with two silver buckets.  “These poor people had no idea what was happening.  So, to show people that they were indeed humans and cultured humans at that, the balloonists began to carry bottles of champagne and books of poetry.  They would read the poetry as they descended and then offer anyone who showed up a glass of champagne.  The poetry didn’t last long, but to this day, we always celebrate a successful flight with champagne.”  Marvin carefully eased the cork partially out of the bottle.  “The trick is to get it to fly over the basket.  That means another successful flight in the future.”  He aimed and the cork flew up and landed on the basket.  “That counts.”  He looked at the group of people.  “I need two representatives from amongst you – Chef, Napoleon, I think you will do.  Could you join me?”

As the men approached, Marvin poured some champagne into a glass, then bent down.  He stood before Illya.  “From the earth you lifted off.  He dropped a bit of dirt on Illya’s head.  “To the earth, you have landed.  I christen thee an aeronaut.”  He poured champagne on Illya’s head and the man yelped, then laughed as the a trail of bubbles trickled down his forehead.

Napoleon was already backing away, but Matt and Rocky caught him and Marvin repeated the process.  Napoleon grimaced as the champagne ran down the side of his face, then took the towel Cathy offered him.

Ida was pouring champagne and Rocky immediately swept forward to help her serve it.

“Thank you for all your help today.  You will each be given a certificate and a pin to commemorate your flight today.  Usually after we have packed up, we head over to Suzy’s for breakfast.  I hope that you will all join us there.” Marvin continued.  “Now we have one last tradition.  Everyone face the east and the sun.  Watch me now.  He took his glass and reached to the sky, “One.”  He repeated the process twice more, counting each time.  “On the third salute, you shout Aerostation at the top of your lungs, bring the glass back, sip and say, Ahh.  Are we ready?”

The Foothills shook with their enthusiasm.


End file.
